UNITED  STATES  DEPARTMENT.OF  AGRICULT 
STATES  RELATIONS  SERVICE. 

A.  C.  TRUE,  Director.         .....     *   - 


HOW  TEACHERS  IN  RURAL  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOLS  MAY  U$E 
FARMERS'  BULLETIN  711,  THE  CARE  AND  IMPROVEMENT 
OF  THE  WOOD  LOT. 

Range  for  use. — States  oast  of  and  including  Minnesota  and  Texas, 
sections  where  there  are  farm  wood  lots. 

Relation  to  the  course  of  study. — Material  in  this  bulletin  will  be  of 
use  in  the  study  of  farm  management  and  forestry  in  elementary 
agriculture,  in  botany  and  nature  study,  also  by  correlation  in  other 
school  subjects. 

Topics  for  study. — (1)  Essentials  of  a  good  wood  lot;  species  adapted 
to  the  locality,  rate  of  growth,  value  for  wood  and  lumber,  etc. ;  pages 
1-8.  (2)  Improvement  and  care;  cuttings,  cleanings,  thinnings,  pas- 
turing, and  protection;  pages  9-18.  (3)  Perpetuation  and  regenera- 
tion; by  seed,  by  sprouts,  artificial  sowing  or  planting;  pages  19-24. 
These  topics  should  be  taught  when  the  application,  is  most  seasonal. 

Study  questions. — Topic  1.  What  is  the  chief  aim  of  the  farm  wood 
lot  ?  What  has  the  density  of  stand  to  do  with  the  quality  of  timber  ? 
How  dense  a  stand  is  desirable  ?  Compare  some  local  wood  lots  with 
the  stocking  table  on  page  2.  What  species  of  timber  are  native  to 
your  district  ?  What  species  not  listed  on  page  3  are  found  in  local 
wood  lots  ?  Were  they  introduced  naturally  or  artificially  ?  Which 
local  species  are  favored  for  building  timber  ?  For  furniture  ?  For 
firewood?  Which  are  commonly  planted  in  reforesting?  Discuss 
other  merits  of  any  species. 

Topic  2.  In  what  different  ways  may  wood  lots  need  improvement  ? 
What  should  be  done  in  cases  where  old  trees  predominate  ?  How 
secure  a  natural  reproduction  in  such  cases  ?  What  are  the  different 
types  of  improvement  cuttings  ?  In  making  "  cleanings ' '  what  should 
be  removed?  Why  does  it  pay  to  do  this?  When  are  " thinnings" 
needed  ?  What  trees  should  be  selected  in  thinning  ?  What  use 
may  be  made  of  the  trees  thinned  out?  What  are  liberation  cut- 
tings and  why  necessary  ?  What  harm  may  vines  do  in  the.  wood 
lot  I  Discuss  the  harm  done  by  pasturing  wood  lots  and  compare 
this  with  the  value  of  the  pasturage.  What  different  forms  of 
damage  result  from  fires  in  the  wood  lot?  What  evidences  may 
there  be  of  damage  by  insects  or  fungi?  How  may  the  farmer 
obtain  advice,  about  these  pests?  What  methods  of  cutting  and 
logging  the  timber  will  best  preserve  the  younger  growth  ?  To  what 
extent  do  local  farmers  use  good  methods  ? 

Topic  3.  How  encourage  the  growth  of  young  trees  to  replace  old 
growth?  How  assist  in  the  natural  seeding?  In  what  cases  will 
reproduction  by  sprouts  be  feasible  and  what  advantages  has  this 
method  ?  In  what  cases  may  artificial  planting  or  seeding  be  prefer- 
able? Where  and  how  should  new  wood  lots  be  established?  To 
what  extent  are  new  seedings  or  plantings  needed  in  the  district? 

79128°— 17 


That  arrangement  has  your  State  for  furnishing  seedlings  for  farm 
planting?  Is  there  waste  land  in  the  district  which  should  be 
forested  ?     (See  Farmers'  Bulletin  No.  745.) 

Illustrative  material. — Have  the  pupils  assist  in  procuring  specimens 
for  a  school  collection  to  include  for  each  species  of  tree:  Typical 
leaves,  flowers  and  fruit,  trunk,  bark,  twigs,  sections  of  wood  to 
show  various  grains  and  polished  specimens.  Pictures  may  be 
obtained  to  show  branching  habits  and  forms  of  trees  either  by 
sketches  or  as  printed  material.  Consult  the  county  superintendent 
of  schools  or  the  State  forester  as  to  sources  of  such  pictures.  Pic- 
tures from  farm  papers  will  show  good  and  poor  methods  of  wood-lot 
practice.  The  Forest  Service  of  the  U.  S.  Department  of  Agriculture 
loans  photographs  of  forest  conditions  and  forest  work,  collections  of 
commercially  important  woods  and  related  data,  and  sets  of  lantern 
slides  with  accompanying  lecture  outlines  to  responsible  parties  at  the 
cost  of  transportation  only.  Details  may  be  learned  by  addressing 
the  Forester,  U.  S.  Department  of  Agriculture,  Washington,  D.  C. 

Practical  exercises. — Prepare  specimens  of  woods  at  school.  Have 
the  class  plant  trees  as  a  windbreak  or  a  background  for  the  school 
(with  the  permission  of  the  school  officials).  Where  forest  nurseries 
are  available  they  should  be  visited  or,  in  the  absence  of  this  oppor- 
tunity, it  may  be  possible  to  learn  nursery  methods  at  commercial 
ornamental  and  fruit-tree  nurseries.  Have  the  pupils  inquire  at  each 
farm  in  the  district  and  report  for  each  the  acreage  of  the  wood  lot, 
the  number  of  trees  to  the  acre,  the  age  of  trees,  species  found, 
methods  of  care,  undesirable  practice  observed,  average  rate  of  cut- 
ting, use  of  wood  and  lumber  on  farm,  wood  and  lumber  sold,  rates  of 
prices,  and  total  income  from  this  source,  market  conditions  and  best 
markets  available,  amount  of  seeding  or  planting  done,  area  needing 
planting  to  trees. 

Correlations. — Arithmetic  problems  will  arise  in  compiling  the 
survey  data  and  also  by  applications  of  the  tables  on  pages  2,  5,  and 
23.  The  measuring  of  wood-lot  products  is  dealt  with  in  Farmers' 
Bulletin  No.  715.  Compute  for  actual  rather  than  imaginary  cases 
where  possible.  _  In  geography  classes  locate  the  wood  lots  on  the 
map  of  the  district,  indicate  on  the  State  map  the  factories  which  use 
local  wood  products.  Find  what  sections  use  most  of  the  lumber 
from  this  section,  the  routes  of  transportation,  uses  and  manufacture 
at  its  destination,  competing  sections. 

Civics  studies  include  names  of  forest  wardens;  their  duties;  the 
State  laws  on  forest  protection;  the  duty  of  each  citizen  in  this 
particular;  the  name,  location,  salary,  and  duties  of  the  State  for- 
ester. Obtain  from  the  State  forester  all  the  material  furnished  by 
his  office  for  the  use  of  schools.  Drawings  to  show  the  branching 
habits  and  other  features  of  trees  of  local  importance  may  be  made 
with  sufficient  accuracy  to  make  a  valuable  collection  for  illustrative 
material. 

F.  E.  Heald, 
Specialist  in  Agricultural  Education . 

Approved : 

C.  H.  Lane, 

Chief  Specialist  in  Agricultural  Education. 

January  1,  1917. 


WASHINGTON  :  GOVERXMEXT  PRIXTIXG  OFFICE  :  1917 
UNIVERSITY  OF  FLORIDA 


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